Spin king Shane Warne made his last appearance in competitive cricket in the Indian Premier League on Friday, stripping the game of a charismatic and colourful personality. A capacity crowd at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai witnessed Warne walk out for the toss for the last time and cheered the Australian star who waved back sporting a broad smile.
“I will always look back with fond memories,” said Rajasthan Royals captain Warne. “It should be a great game. The atmosphere is fantastic and the boys are up for it.” Warne’s final hurrah pitted him against another superstar, India’s Sachin Tendulkar who captains the Mumbai Indians in the money-spinning Twenty20 tournament. Mumbai need to win Friday’s clash to remain in contention for a place in the last-four while Rajasthan are out of the contest.
The last chapter in the career of one of the game’s finest ever players has been typical of Warne, with the Australian charming and shocking the Indian public during a frustrating final season in charge of the Rajasthan Royals. On the field, the 41-year-old has struggled for rhythm with his bowling and has suffered the indignity of being repeatedly hit over the ropes by youngsters looking to make their mark in the money-spinning tournament.
And as with so much of his turbulent career, attention has often focused on his off-field exploits, including a bitter row with Rajasthan Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Dixit over a choice of wicket, which led to a fine this week of $50,000. “I think it was a bit silly and immature from both of our parts,” said the father of three, whose rumoured face-lift and romantic entanglement with British model Liz Hurley kept him constantly in the Indian headlines.
He also had a tiff with superstar Sachin Tendulkar and caused embarrassment in conservative India with his public kissing of Hurley — which could have landed him in trouble under India’s strict anti-obscenity laws. “He (Warne) caused quite a sensation with his long lip-lock in full public view,” Dixit wrote in a column. “I had to quieten things down to make sure that the matter did not reach the courts.”